Attitudes of Consumers, Retailers and Producers to Farm Animal Welfare edited by Unni Kjærnes, Mara Miele and Joek Roex WELFARE QUALITY REPORTS NO. 2 This report is dedicated to the memory of Jonathan Murdoch. Welfare Quality Reports Edited by Mara Miele and Joek Roex School of City and Regional Planning Cardiff University Glamorgan Building King Edward VII Avenue Cardiff CF10 3WA Wales UK Tel.: +44(0)292087; fax: +44(0)2920874845; e-mail: [email protected] January 2007 The present study is part of the Welfare Quality research project which has been co- financed by the European Commission, within the 6th Framework Programme, contract No. FOOD-CT-2004-506508. The text represents the authors’ views and does not necessarily represent a position of the Commission who will not be liable for the use made of such information. © Copyright is with the authors of the individual contributions. ISBN 1-902647-73-4 ISSN 1749-5164 CONTENTS Preface iii PART I Farm Animal Welfare and Food Consumption Practices: Results from Surveys in Seven Countries (edited by Unni Kjærnes and Randi Lavik) 1 Introduction to Part I 1 2 Background and Research Questions 3 3 Methods 9 4 People Are Interested but Not Necessarily Worried 11 5 Considerations of Animal Friendliness When Purchasing Food 17 6 Availability Is a Bigger Problem Than Price 21 7 The Truth-telling of Institutional Actors 23 8 Concluding Remarks to Part I 29 PART II Analysis of the Retail Survey of Products that Carry Welfare-claims and of Non-retailer Led Assurance Schemes whose Logos Accompany Welfare-claims (edited by Emma Roe and Terry Marsden) 9 Introduction to Part II 33 10 Comparative Overview of Animal Welfare Claims 35 11 Welfare Bundling on Packaging 45 12 Comparative Analysis of Non-retailer Led Schemes of Production 51 13 Comparative Analysis of Marketing Schemes of Non-retailer Led 59 Assurance Schemes 14 Conclusions to Part II 65 PART III Pig Farmers and Animal Welfare: A Study of Beliefs, Attitudes and Behaviour of Pig Producers across Europe (edited by Bettina B. Bock and Marjolein M. van Huik) 15 Introduction to Part III 73 16 Pig Farming across Europe 79 17 Participation in Animal Welfare Schemes 91 18 Farmers’ Perceptions of Animal Welfare 99 19 Farmers’ Perceptions of Animal Welfare Legislation 103 20 Off-farm Animal Welfare 111 21 Farmers’ Expectations of Market and Society 115 22 Conclusions to Part III 121 PART IV Consumer Opinions on Farm Animal Welfare: Methodology and Sampling of a Quantitative Survey in Seven European Countries Food Animal Welfare (by Randi Lavik) 23 Introduction to Part IV 127 24 Planning and Design of the Data Collection 129 25 Sampling 137 26 Validity 143 Bibliography 155 Appendices 159 PREFACE This working paper presents a first description of some major findings from surveys carried out in seven countries (France, the United Kingdom, Hungary, Italy, the Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden) in September 2005. The paper concentrates on describing national variations in public views on farm animal welfare in general and related shopping practices. We will later analyse how national variations can be explained by differences on the consumer side, in provisioning systems, regulatory arrangements, and social mobilisation. We will also explore the conditions for consumer involvement in and responses to market initiatives to improve farm animal welfare. The present study is part of the Welfare Quality research project which has been co- financed by the European Commission, within the 6th Framework Programme, contract No. FOOD-CT-2004-506508. The text represents the authors’ views and does not necessarily represent a position of the Commission who will not be liable for the use made of such information. The Parts I and IV present work undertaken as part of Work Package 1.1 on Consumers. The National Institute for Consumer Research is responsible for coordinating this task and for coordinating the Work Package. The aim is to analyse consumer concerns about food animal welfare, the type of information demanded, and the most effective communication and information strategy. Work Package 1.1 is part of Sub-project 1, ‘Consumers’, Retailers’ and Producers’ Concerns and Requirements for Animal Welfare and Welfare Friendly Products’, coordinated by Cardiff University. The autors of Part II would like to thank their colleagues in Work Package 1.2 for their support and helpful feedback about this report through the process of writing it: Ulf Johansson, Karin Alm (Sweden) Eivind Jacobsen, Atle Hegnes (Norway) Menno Binnekamp (the Netherlands) Filipo Arfini, Cecilia Maria Mancini (Italy) Henry Buller and Christine Cesar (France) Jonathan Murdoch† (UK) iii iv / Preface Part II presents deliverable 1.11, which reports on the attitudes, beliefs and behaviour of pig farmers concerning animal welfare; it is collated by Bettina Bock and Marjolein van Huik on the basis of individual contributions of: Claire Souquet, Anne-Charlotte Dockes, Florence Kling-Eveillard (France) Alberto Menghi, Kees de Roest, Paolo Rossi (Italy) Carmen Hubbard, Michael A. Bourlakis, Guy Garrod (United Kingdom) Karl Bruckmeier, Madeleine Prutzer (Sweden) Guro Skarstad, Svein Borgen (Norway) Bettina Bock, Marjolein van Huik (the Netherlands) More information on the Welfare Quality project can be found on the website <http://www.welfarequality.net>. Unni Kjærnes Mara Miele Joek Roex Cardiff, January 2007 PART I FARM ANIMAL WELFARE AND FOOD CONSUMPTION PRACTICES: RESULTS FROM SURVEYS IN SEVEN COUNTRIES edited by Unni Kjærnes and Randi Lavik The National Institute for Consumer Research (SIFO), Norway Work package 1.1 EU Food-CT-2004-506508 1 INTRODUCTION TO PART I This paper deals with public opinions on farm animal welfare and how those opinions are linked to purchasing practices. Earlier studies have indicated that animal welfare can be of considerable concern among consumers when they buy food. Food quality is not only determined by the overall nature and safety of the end product but also by the perceived welfare status of the animals from which the food is produced. The Welfare Quality project aims to accommodate societal concerns and market demands, develop reliable on-farm monitoring systems, and develop product information systems and practical species-specific strategies to improve animal welfare. Throughout the project efforts are focused on three main species and their products: cattle (beef and dairy), pigs, and poultry (broiler chickens and laying hens). The information systems will be based upon consumer demands, the marketing requirements of retailers and stringent scientific validation. Sub-project 1 investigates societal attitudes and practices, how they impact animal welfare, and assesses to what extent new welfare strategies might be achievable in practice. Sub-project 1 has three main work packages concerning respectively; consumers, retailers and producers. These work packages investigate how the different groups view animal welfare considerations and determine how more rigorous welfare standards might be adopted. Work package 1.1 analyses consumer concerns about farm animal welfare, the type of information demanded, and considers effective communication and information strategies. This paper presents preliminary results regarding variations in animal welfare concerns, based on representative population surveys conducted in seven study countries. We have assessed the extent of social engagement in farm animal welfare issues and how this engagement is reflected in everyday consumption practices across Europe. We also describe to what degrees people trust various actors that are in involved in animal welfare issues. The findings are concentrated around four major themes: 1. Across Europe, a large majority say that farm animal welfare is important, but they are not necessarily worried. Although transport i.e. causes worry many are optimistic. 2. Much smaller proportions associate animal welfare concerns and worries with their own purchasing practices. Still quite a few do think about such issues when 1 2 / Consumer, Retailer and Producer Attitudes to Farm Animal Welfare shopping for food, which indicates a wider consumer definition of animal welfare than product labels offer. 3. Experts and NGOs are most trusted for telling the truth in case of an animal welfare scandal, public authorities in the middle, while market actors and politicians the least. 4. Countries differ. Italian and French respondents are quite worried about welfare conditions in their own country, concerns are often associated with food purchasing, and trust is relatively low. Hungarians worry and they are also more pessimistic, but animal welfare is of less relevance when shopping. The Dutch display lower interest, but many worry. Many do think of welfare conditions when shopping for eggs and beef. Trust is high. The British are quite similar, but trust is much lower. Finally, the Swedes and the Norwegians are engaged; they are trusting and not worried. Particularly in Norway, animal welfare is rarely associated with the consumer role. 2 BACKGROUND AND RESEARCH QUESTIONS 2.1 ISSUES WHEN STUDYING ANIMAL WELFARE AND CONSUMPTION The aims of accommodating societal concerns and market demands mean that we need to know what these concerns and demands are (Blokhuis et al., 2003). The project partners have made initial reviews of consumer concerns, labels and retailer initiatives, as well as producer led schemes (Miele, 2005). The reviews, which were conducted in six countries (France, the United Kingdom, Italy,